The Long and the Short of It

I got these at Club Monaco on that Saturday excursion with Yulanda (talk about getting mileage out of a fun shopping date). They were $39.00 on sale!




They are extremely comfortable and short (but not sleazy). I particularly like the waistband which is - I can assure you - the only reason why I'm baring my stomach in two of these shots.

In addition to these, I also bought a zebra-pattern, pony-skin belt and (yikes) a pair of super-skinny, super-white jeans. (Don't judge till you see them :-)) I was so saying fuck you to the post-Labour Day, white-wearing naysayers. And it's not like my ass is getting any younger.

Fighting the Good Fight

Hey Everyone: You have to check out WendyB today for an inspiring example of how bloggers are using the network to help people in need.

Short story: Stephanie Nielson, who writes a blog called NieNie (about modern motherhood and family life) has been very seriously injured with her husband in a plane crash. There's a story about in in the New York Times Saturday edition. They have 4 children under the age of 7. Stephanie has been given a 60 - 70% chance of survival and a fund has been started to assist the family with the daunting expenses they will no doubt incur in the rehabilitation process.

WendyB - whom, I'm sure you know, designs gorgeous fine jewelry in New York City - has started an auction of one of her beautiful pieces, all proceeds of which will go to the NieNie fund:

The WendyB Diana necklace

Here's an opportunity to help a family while, potentially, winning a beautiful piece of handmade jewelry. At very least, you'll hike up the bidding. And, even if you don't win, now you know how to buy yourself a gorgeous bauble or two online. (I'm partial to the owl pendant...)

Special Update: Generous bidders have exceeded the retail value of the piece ($250.00) so Wendy is throwing in some gorgeous earrings and - get this - when the bids get to $500, that lucky person gets all the perks plus a fab engraving on the sterling silver pendant.

It gets better. If the bids go higher than $1000 - you get a piece of jewelry named after you (or someone of your choice) that will live on always! And that's in addition to all the other perks. Richie Riches who may be reading this, vote with your heart by bidding on this thing of beauty.

Another Special Update: Enc is racking up the good karma, having bid $550.00 as of this evening. C'mon generous peeps, make her work for that engraved, one-of-a-kind necklace with matching topaz earrings. At very least, let's get her to the stage where she gets a piece named after her for all eternity. Cuz that means the Nielson family will have $1000-odd extra dollars in the rehabilitation fund. Technically, you have more 4 days to get there. But I can't take the suspense. So please bid now.

Even More of My Favourite Things...

Have You Noticed? Australians are to fashion blogging what Scandinavians are to uber-chic, minimalist design. Which is to say rockin'. Of course, you are under no obligation to agree with me, though you will. (It's part of my evil genius :-))

OK, moving right along... If you haven't yet discovered these sites you have no more excuses. Click now!

Skylark & Son: This woman is tremendously creative, modern and fashion-forward all while running after an adorable toddler!

Lady Melbourne: Steely chic incarnate. Her hair is so shiny straight you'll wonder what pact she made with the pixies. And she always looks perfect. Seriously.

Style Discovery: My newest find... Songy profiles some very beautiful things. Can't wait to get to know this site better.

Imelda (The Despotic Queen of Shoes!): My blog boyfriend. Egad, I think I just outed myself :-) Matt is a genius with sole! (What is it with me and the puns today??)

Super Kawaii Mama: Elegance itself - with a feisty, subversive undertone. SKM is also a new mum but you'd never know from her fashion togetherness. She makes child-free, Hollywood starlets seem, frankly, a little blah.

Esme and the lane way: Also a new discovery, Esme reminds me vaguely of Naomi Watts with brown hair - which is to take nothing away from her uniqueness of character and style. Both of which she certainly has in spades.

PS - If I've neglected to mention any of my Australian daily reads, it's only because I haven't clued into the fact that you are not only great, but also from Down Under. If that's the case, please don't let me get away with such an oversight!

These are a Few of my Favourite Things...

Collage, September 1, 2008:

Little Portugal:




(The flag shot is special for Miss Cavendish...)

Architecture Porn:




Drama Queen:


Queen West:



(That's the needle of the CN Tower in the distance...)

Yes, this guy is naked, walking down the street in broad daylight... (And no, I've never seen anything like this.):

This For That

I did a little damage over the weekend: I mean, there was all the stuff I had to buy for the child and then all the stuff I so needed for myself. I'm not sure about y'all, but September shopping is a special sort of drug. The days are cooling and shortening, the clothes are at the season's apex of stylishness, the shoes go from slinky strings to complex design. Throw in a good cappuccino and a great companion and it's got the makings of near perfection.

Yulanda and I managed to work all the angles - you have to see her post for some beautiful shots of the food. Club Monaco and Holt Renfrew had a bit of my business - don't worry, I'll chat more about this - and I ended up with everything from chichi perfume to organic face de-ager to zebra patterned accessories.

This post is a bit about how you can buy one thing, and still make off with ___ things in the deal. (Apologies in advance for the crappy photos - I was drinking when I took them...)

To wit:

At Holt's you buy this:

Bond No. 9 - Bryant Park (Mini-size, $45.00)

And you get this too:

Sample of Age Rescue (Can't remember the brand!) - FREE

You go to L'Occitane for the promise of eternal (and organic) youth:

Immortelle Brightening Renewing Serum ($60.00)

And you end up with a little extra for the eyes:

Baume des Yeux - FREE!

And, maybe best of all, you hit Sephora for some mascara (something you may not have purchased in 5 years!):

Maxi-Frange Mascara - It's "professional"... (On sale, $16.00)

And you end up with this!

ID Mineral Makeup with cute little brush, other Sephora mascara (travel size), Sephora mini bubble bath (almond flavour) - FREE!!!

It's A Gift

So, Yulanda and I went out again on Saturday for "back to school" shopping :-) That's code for I bought everything I could get my grubby hands on while Yulanda tactfully offered her opinions.

If you know me, you know that I am eternally in search of a deal. I cannot tell you the bargaining I've wrought in every retail environment. I LOVE wheeling and dealing - but, let me take pains to clarify - I am never disrespectful. I recognize that we all have our roles to play in this little thing called "the transaction", so I try to infuse some high-flung excitement into the process. It's a small way I express myself. If the retailer resists my bargaineering advances, I graciously desist. And walk, generally. Though not always. (More to come on this topic soon - though I don't want to box myself in by referring to this as "K's Tips for Working the Deal" Theme Week.)

Here's the thing, I do this "can we talk" thing so intuitively that I don't even realize it's happening half the time. So it was very fun to be out with Y (and not even in the sorts of environments where bargaining is encouraged i.e. big box retail) and get little freebies here and there. It made me feel like a wise old owl to her delicious, young chick. I know it's sad when that's what makes you feel special, but I'm a simple girl. :-)

Coming Up: Fun info about the shopping I did over the Labour Day long weekend!

Hey Moms...

There are some great deals out there for your kiddies this week.

Specifically, H&M is having this 20% off sale (when you spend more than $50.00). Have you ever gone back to school shopping and not spent $50.00?? And they've got really sweet "lounge wear" i.e. yoga pants for kids and hip/happening track suits.

Payless, a truly awful, if affordable environment, is having a strange sale I can't exactly understand. The upshot is that I bought 2 pairs of runners for M and I saved 30% on each pair.

Gap Kids has some good sale items - like on backpacks and lunch boxes.

I was shocked by how much money I saved by getting into the fray a mere 5 minutes before the deadline of tomorrow's back to school. I'm usually so organized and I save bupkis. I say, power to the harried moms!